Automatic refrigerator-car drain.



E. A. NIX & E. C. RODDIE. AUTOMATIC REFRIGERATOR CAR DRAIN.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 12. 1914.

1,149,675. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

. EDWARD A. NIX, 0E MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, AND EUGE cfnoEnIE, on NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

AUTOMATIC REFRIGERATOR-CAR DRAIN.

v Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, -1915.

Application filed June 12, 1914.. Serial N 0. 844,822.

of the United States, residing: at the city of New Orleans, in-the parish of Orleans and State of Loulsiana, have lnvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic,

Refrigerator-Car Drains, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerator drains.

The main object of this invention is the provision of a drain such as described which is especially adapted for use in connection with refrigerator cars andwhich provides'a means for automatically discharging water therefrom.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a drain such as described having a valve seat and'valve adapted to engage the same for closing the. drain and means for raising said valve from its seat to permit water to flow therethrough from the drain pan.

A further object of this invention is the provision in a device such as described of a valve, means for automaticallyand manually operating the valve, and means for spacing said valve from its operating means.

A further object of this invention is to improve and simplify devices of this; character, rendering them comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, reliable and efficient in use and readily operated.

With the above and other objects in view,

the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion, size and minor details without departing from the spirit or sa'crificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken'through our invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by similar characters of reference throughout the several views, the numeral 5 designates in general a portion of the floor of a refrigerator car in each corner of which is located a drain; pan 6. As the construction of each of such drain pans is identical, a detailed description of but one is deemed necessary. This drain pan 6 is substantially rectangular information, consisting of the opposite side walls 7 connected at their lower ends by a bottom 8. The upper edges of the side walls 7 are formed with horizontal attaching flanges 9 whereby said pan can be secured to the floor 5 of the car with the upper edge of said flanges 9 flush with the upper sides of the car bottom.

The pan 8 is provided with a central circular opening 10, from which extends a depending annular flange 11, in which is secured a receptacle 12. This receptacle consists of a vertically disposed cylindrical wall 13 and is closed by a top 14: provided with a handle 15 and a depending annular flange 16 designed to fit over the upper edge of the cylindrical side wall 13. This flange 16 has formed at diametrically iopposite points bayonet slots 17 for-engagement with the locking. pins 18 which project from the upper end of the cylindrical wall 13, thus providing means for removably attaching the; top or COVQIlL to said receptacle 12.

Abottom-19 is secured to the lower end of the cylindrical wall 13, and is tapered'downwardly toward its central point, as shown at 20, to produce a valve seat 21.' The lower end of the said bottom 19 is provided with a concentric sleeve 22' designed ;to receive the drain pipe 23.

A cylindrical float '24 is positioned within the receptacle 12 for vertical movement therein and is formed at intervals throughout its periphery with guide flanges 25 arranged to space said float from the inner walls ofxthe receptacle 12. The opposite ends of these flanges 25 are rounded, as shown at 26, to prevent any binding upon the vertical movement of said float. A handle 27 is secured to the upper side of the float, while secured to the lower side there of is an eye 28 adapted to receive a link 29 which connects the said float through the medium of the eye 30 with the valve 31. This valve 31 is adapted to'engage the valve seat 21 for the purposev of closing the lower end of said receptacle. The valve 31 is formed at its lower end with intersecting guide flanges 32 adapted to slide within the drain pipe 23 for the purpose of guiding said valve and insuring its proper engage ment with the valve seat 21. Like the flanges 25, the opposite ends of these flanges 32 are rounded as at 33 to prevent any undesired binding. A depending stem 34: projects from the flanges 32 at their juncture and extending downwardly through the drain pipe 23 to a point within the reach of the operator, in order that the said stem can be moved upwardly for the purpose of unseating the valve 31.

The upper end of the wall 13 of the receptacle 12 is formed with a series of openings 35, permitting the water collected within the pan 6 to flow into the receptacle 12. As the water in said receptacle 12 rises a suflicient height the float 24: will be'consequently raised, causing the valve 31to move upwardly from its seat 21, thereby permitting the water contained within the pan and receptacle to flow out through the drain pipe 34:.

U-shaped spacing members 36 are secured to thelower side of the float 24 above the valve 31 upon opposite sides of the eye 28. Vhen the stem 34 is raised and the'float 24: is lowered upon the flowing of water from the receptacle 12, these spacing members 36 will contact with the upper side of the valve 31 and support the said float in spaced relation thereto, in order that when water again flows into the pan, the float will have to rise to the position shown in Fig. 1 before the valve 31 is raised from its seat. I I From the foregoing disclosures taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, itwill be manifest that an automatic drain is provided which will fulfil all the necessary requirements of such 'a device.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a drain such as pan having an opening inthe lower side thereof, a receptacle inside the opening and extending therein, said receptacle having openings. between the bottom of the drain pan and the upper end thereof, a valve seat provided at the lower end of said receptacle, a discharge spout extending from the valve seat, a float movable within said receptacle, a valve movably connected to the float for engagement with the valve seat, guide flanges formed upon the valve and the float,

Oopiesof this patent may be obtained for described, a drain spacing means interposed between the float and valve and a rod depending from the guide flanges of the valve within the spout. 2. In a'device of the character described, a drain pan having an opening provided in the bottom thereof, and a flange surrounding said opening, a receptacle extending through said opening upon opposite sides of the bottom of the drain pan and supported by the flange, a closure for the upper end of said receptacle, said receptacle having openings provided therein between the closure and the bottom of the drain pan, a float movable within said receptacle and controlled by the flow of water into the receptacle from the drain pan, guide flanges formed upon the float for slidable engagement with the inner wall of the receptacle, brackets secured to the lower sideof the float, a valve'seat provided at the lower end of the receptacle, a spout extending from the valve seat, a valve movable within the receptacle for engage ment with the valve seat, a movable connection between the float and valve, guide flanges formed upon the base of the valve for slidable engagement with the inner wall of the spout, and a manual operating rod depending from the guide flanges of the valve at the juncture thereof within the receptacle to a point adjacent the lower end thereof.

3. In a drain such as described, a drain pan, a receptacle carried by said drain pan and in communication therewith, a valve seat at one end of said receptacle, a drain pipe extending from said valve'seat, a'valve engaging said valve seat, intersecting guide flanges formed upon the lower side of said valve for sliding engagement with said'drain pipe, a float movable within the receptacle, guide flanges formed upon the float for engagement with the inner wall of said receptacle, eyes carried by'thefloat and valve, a link connecting 1 said eyes, and spacing means carried by the float forengagement with the valve when the water is drained from the water pan, upon movement of the valve away from its seat independently of the movement of the float.

In testimony whereof we have aflixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD A. NIX.

EUGENE o. RODDIE.

Witnesses:

' i J. D. Nix, Jr.,

Jos. B. GRAsTo.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissionerof Patents, Washington, D. G. 7 

